A solid-state imaging apparatus is provided which includes a plurality of pixels (101) arranged in a matrix for generating a signal by a photoelectric conversion, a plurality of column amplifier units (102) arranged each correspondingly to each of columns of the plurality of pixels, for outputting a first signal generated by amplifying at a first gain the signals from the plurality of pixels, and a second signal generated by amplifying at a second gain the signals from the plurality of pixels, and an analog to digital converting unit (108) for selecting one signal from the first and second signals for analog to digital conversion.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A solid-state imaging apparatus comprising: a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix configured to generate a signal by a photoelectric conversion; a plurality of column amplifier units arranged each correspondingly to one of columns of the plurality of pixels, configured to output first signals generated by amplifying at a first gain the signals from the plurality of pixels, and second signals generated by amplifying at a second gain the signals from the plurality of pixels, the second gain being greater than the first gain; a selecting unit configured to output a signal selected from the first and second signals each corresponding to an identical one of the plurality of pixels; an analog to digital converting unit configured to convert the signal output from the selecting unit to a digital signal; a comparing unit inputting a digital signal from the analog to digital converting unit configured to detect a gain error between a ratio of the first gain and the second gain, and a predetermined ratio of the first gain and the second gain; and a correcting unit configured to correct the digital signal based on the gain error.
2. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the analog to digital converting unit outputs a selection signal indicating the signal that is converted by the analog to digital converting unit.
3. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first signal and the second signal are amplified by respectively different column amplifier units and outputted.
4. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first signal and the second signal are successively amplified by an identical column amplifier unit and outputted.
5. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising; a plurality of analog to digital converting units including the analog to digital converting unit, arranged each correspondingly to each of columns of the plurality of column amplifier, and each configured to convert the first or second signal each corresponding to an identical one of the plurality of pixels from an analog signal to a digital signal; and an outputting unit configured to output, to the comparing unit, the digital signal converted from the first or second signal, from each of the plurality of analog to digital converting units, by scanning the plurality of analog to digital converting units.
6. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the comparing unit inputs a digital signal from the analog to digital converting unit configured to detect the gain error between the first and second signals when the first and second signals are shifted to the same gain level.
7. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the selecting unit outputs the second signal and the analog to digital converting unit converts the second signal output from the selecting unit to the digital signal when the second signal is in a smaller level than a first signal level, and the selecting unit outputs the first signal and the analog to digital converting unit converts the first signal output from the selecting unit to the digital signal when the second signal is in a larger level than the first signal level.
8. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the comparing unit inputs a digital signal from the analog to digital converting unit configured to detect the gain error between the first and second signals when the first and second signals are shifted to the same gain level.
9. A solid-state imaging apparatus comprising: a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix configured to generate a signal by a photoelectric conversion; a plurality of column amplifier units arranged each correspondingly to one of columns of the plurality of pixels, configured to output first signals generated by amplifying at a first gain the signals from the plurality of pixels, and second signals generated by amplifying at a second gain the signals from the plurality of pixels, the second gain being greater than the first gain; an analog to digital converting unit configured to selectively convert one of the first and second signals each corresponding to an identical one of the plurality of pixels from an analog signal to a digital signal; a comparing unit inputting a digital signal from the analog to digital converting unit configured to detect a gain error between the first and second signals when the first and second signals are shifted to the same gain level; and a correcting unit configured to correct the first or second signal based on the gain error, wherein the analog to digital converting unit converts the second signal when the second signal is in a smaller level than a first signal level, while the analog to digital converting unit converts the first signal when the second signal is in a larger level than the first signal level.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
September 20, 2011
November 17, 2015
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